October 19, 2012 7:28pm EDTOctober 19, 2012 7:24pm EDTSounders coach Sigi Schmid will sit out his club's Sunday match against FC Dallas and pay a $2,000 MLS fine for bad-mouthing the referee of a game against Real Salt Lake.

Staff report

Published on Oct. 19, 2012

Oct. 19, 2012

Seattle Sounders coach Sigi Schmid is suspended one game and must pay a $2,000 MLS fine for his comments about game officials in a match earlier this week.

Word of the punishment came Friday from MLS commissioner Don Garber. In a league release, Garber said: "Sigi Schmid's comments earlier this week about the officiating were unacceptable. MLS requires that its players, coaches, and club leadership maintain proper respect for the officials at all times."

According to club officials, Schmid will sit out Sunday's match against FC Dallas. Assistant Brian Schmetzer will run the club.

Schmid was miffed at officials during Wednesday's match against Real Salt Lake. In particular, his target was referee Ricardo Salazar. At halftime of the match, the Seattle Times reported, Schmid said games were a "nightmare" when Salazar ran them.

Schmid toned down his criticism a bit after the match, which ended 0-0.

"I don't want any more questions about Salazar, but the thing is, our fans know his name," he said. "I don't think many fans know the name of the referee. I think that's an indication."

The Sounders are headed to the MLS playoffs, where Schmid says he fears seeing his nemesis again. "Lord help us if we get Salazar in the playoffs," he said Wednesday.

In their match against RSL, the Sounders were without defender Zach Scott more that 60 minutes after Salazar sent him off.

The Sounders played the final 60-plus minutes down a man after Zach Scott was sent off in the first half.